Shoe vulcanizing press



United States Patent SHOE VULCANIZING PRESS Paul G. Zelik, Aberdeen, and Joseph Volcik, Abingdon, Md.

Application May 18, 1953, Serial No. 355,585

3 Claims. (Cl. 18-17) This invention relates to a machine adapted to be used 2,790,996 I Patented May 7,, 12. 7;

7 construction of one of the side frame members.

With continuing reference-to the accompanying draw ings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 j is used to generally designate the shoe vulcanizing press in the manufacture of shoes, and more particularly to a shoes being vulcanized. By opening and closing the vulcanizing press without any pressure on the parts of the molds themselves, there is assured an extended life to the machine by increasing the life of parts and eliminating necessity of replacement.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of means for adjusting the elements of the press to different thicknesses of material as used in a shoe.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the shoe last may be readily and easily positioned relative to the mold elements, yet may be readily withdrawn onto an operating tray so as to enable the vulcanized shoe to be removed and the elements of a further shoe placed on the shoe last.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a shoe vulcanizing press which employs means for resiliently adjustably positioning the side molds of the press in engagement with the shoe on the shoe last at a predetermined pressure, the side molds being automatically removed from engagement with the shoe last after the vulcanization process has been completed and the shoe last lowered from its raised position.

In order to increase the life of the parts, there are provided insulating plates positioned between the heating elements, which are adapted to heat the molds, and the moving parts of certain guides and wedges forming important elements of the invention.

Still further objects of this shoe vulcanizing press reside in the provision of a device of a nature to be more fully described that is strong and durable, simple in operation, capable of being readily used for vulcanizing shoes constructed of canvas and the like, but which is capable of beingused for; almost any type of shoe, and which is simply and efficiently operated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure.

comprising the present invention which includes a framework 12 including spaced inverted substantially U-shaped members 14 which are interconnected by means of a top bracket 16 secured to the upper portions 18 of the guid frames 14 by means of bolts 20 and keys 22. Supported by the side frame members 14 and extending therebetween is a bridging bracket 24. Keys 26 and screws 28 are used to attach the bridging bracket 24 to the guide frame members 14. Supported on the bridging bracket 24 is the bottom cylinder plate 30 of hydraulic means '32 used to actuate this press. Attached to the plate 30 is a cylinder 34 within which a piston 36 is positioned. The piston 36 is provided with a flange 38 at its upper end which is attached to the lower extremities of a lifting table 40.

The lifting table 40, as is shown best in Figure 3, is provided with a central slot or groove 42 therein which opens into arcuate grooves 44 and 46 formed in an operating tray 48. The operating tray 4;; is, of course,

, secured to the table 40. Secured by means of screws 50 or by other suitable means to the table as are sliding plates 52 and 54 on either side of the slot 42. The sliding plates 52 and 54 are provided with tracks (not shown) within which closing wedges 56 and 58 are seated. -The closing wedges 56 and 58 are provided with cam surfaces 60 and 62 which extend angularly converginglv upward. Attached to the closing wedges 56 and 58. but spaced therefrom by insulating plates 64 ann 66, are heating elements 68 and 70 constructed from cartridge 1 heating elements sold under the trade name Cromalox.

wise, other apertures 84 are provided for holding the side These, together with the various ancillary objects and 4 features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this shoe vulcanizing press, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by

molds to the closing wedges.

Received in the slot 42 in the table 49 is the anchor key 86 depending from a shoe last 355 controlled by handle. 89. In this manner, the shoe last $8 may be readily positioned as desired by the operator and may be withdrawn onto either of the tracks 44 or 46 when re moving or positioning thereon a shoe. 3 A closing frame 90 is slidably mounted within the recesses 92 in the side'frame member 14 and includes a platform -94 .across wnich transverse members 96 extend The itransverse rods 9;? carry headed threaded shafts 98, which extend through brackets liltlsecuredto the side frame member 14 as by screws 1% and splines or keys 164-. The keys 104 extend through keyways 106 in the side frame members 24 and also through aligned keyways in the brackets 100. The screws M2 are threadedly engaged in threaded apertures 163 formed in the side frame members 14. Secured to the bottom of the shafts 98 are spring caps 11%) which are held in position as by nuts 112. Coil springs 114 bias the brackets I and the spring caps 110 thereby holding the closing frame 90 in a lowered position. Secured to the upper portions of the closing frame 90 are cam guide plates 116 and 118. These cam guide plates are held in position by suitable bolts passing through apertures 120 in the guide cams 116 and 118. The construction of the guide cam 116 can be best seen in Figure 5, and it will be noted that herein there is shown a sinusoidal grease groove 122 provided for reducing friction between the stuffed surfaces of the cam guide and the angularly extend ing surfaces 60 and 62 of the closing wedges S6 and 58. The closing wedges 56 and 58 engage the guide cams 116 and 118 when the lifting table 40 israised, thereby urging the side molds 76 and 78 towards each other while resiliently raising the closing frame 90. It is to be noted that the pressure on the side molds 76 and 78 can be readily adjusted by turning the nuts 112 thereby adjusting the initial stress upon the springs 114 and thus the amount of force necessary to raise the closing frame. Since the force exerted upon the closing frame will be transmitted to selected components in an inward direction due to the action of the cams 116 and 118, the pressure with which the side molds 76 and 78 can engage the shoe to be vulcanized can readily be adjusted. There is, of course, provided an upper shoe mold 124 which depends from the top bracket 16.

There is, of course, provided suitable heating elements for heating the upper mold 124; Further, suitable insulating plates may be provided for preventing unnecessary loss of heat and the transmission thereof'to moving parts.

In operation, a shoe to be vulcanized is placed on the last 88 and using the handle 89, the last is placed in position on the table 40 within the slot or groove 42. Then, the hydraulic or pneumatic means 32 is actuated, raising the lifting table 40. The closing wedges 56 and 58 which are slidably positioned on the closing table slide along the sliding plates 52 and 54. The surfaces 60 and 62 engaging the cam plates 116 and 118 are driven toward each other, the rate at which the wedges close being determined by the tension on the springs 114. This rate is of course dependent upon relative vertical movement of the lifting table and closing wedges 56 and 58 relative to the closing frame 90 which is of course controlled by the initial stress on springs 114. In this manner, the shoe will be placed under pressure and the heat emanating from the heating elements 68 and 70 together with the upper heating element for the upper mold 124 will suitably vulcanize the shoe.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of the shoe vulcanizing press are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit this invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. A shoe vulcanizing press comprising a framework, a table having a shoe last supported thereon, said table being mounted for vertical movement relative to said framework, operating means for raising and lowering said table, a closing frame movable with respect to said framework, resilient means movably attaching said clos ing frame to said framework, said resilient means including springs yieldingly engaging said closing frame and said framework, cam guides carried by said closing frame,

closing wedges secured to said table and engaging said cam guides, side molds carried by said closing wedges, and an upper mold carried by said framework whereby upon raising of said table by said operating means said last will be raised into engagement with said upper mold and said closing wedges will be urged inwardly by the action of said cam guides to engage said last.

2. A shoe vulcanizing press comprising a framework, a table having a shoe last supported thereon, said table being mounted for vertical movement relative to said framework, operating means for raising and lowering said table, a closing frame movable with respect to said frame work, resilient means movably attaching said closing frame to said framework, said resilient means including springs yieldingly engaging said closing frame and said framework, cam guides carried by said closing frame, closing wedges secured to said table and engaging said cam guides, side mold supporting members secured to said closing wedges, side molds supported by said side mold supporting members, and an upper mold carried by said framework whereby upon raising of said table by said operating means said last will be raised into engage ment with said upper mold and said closing Wedges will be urged inwardly by the action of said cam guides to engage said last, said table having a groove therein, a tray forming an extension of said table and extending outwardly from said framework, a pair of diverging grooves in said tray in communication with the groove in said table, said shoe last being slidable in said groove and said pair of grooves.

3. A shoe vulcanizing press comprising a framework, a table having a shoe last supported thereon, said table being mounted for vertical movement relative to said framework, operating means for raising and lowering said table, a closing frame movable with respect to said framework, resilient mcans movably attaching said closing frame to said framework, said resilient means including springs yieldingly engaging said closing frame and said frame work, cam guides carried by said closing frame, closing wedges secured to said table and engaging said cam guides, side mold supporting members secured to said closing wedges, side molds supported by said side mold supporting members, and an upper mold carried by said framework whereby upon raising of said table by said operating means said last will be raised into engagement with said upper mold and said closing wedges will be urged inwardly by the action of said cam guides to engage said last, heating elements carried by said closing wedges between said wedges and said side molds, and insulating plates positioned between said heating elements and said closing wedges to reduce transfer of heat to the wearing surfaces of said cam guides and said wedges, said cam guides comprising stepped members providing steppedwearing surfaces, and a sinuating lubricating groove in the stepped surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,224 Mason Aug. 18, 1908 1,660,411 Bodor Feb. 28, 1928 2,147,217 Rector Feb. 14, 1939 2,221,742 Hoza- Nov. 12, 1940 2,330,762 Tooker Sept. 28, 1943 2,554,552 Banovsky May 29, 1951 2,647,281 Capdevila Aug. 4, 1953 

